Speaking to Belfast Live, he said: "The reason we brought it forward now is we feel that after the referendum in the Republic that there's a real opportunity to take the issue up again in Northern Ireland.

"In the South we saw a real revolution in attitude towards gay people and those issues that would have been inconceivable 20 tears ago.

"Opinion polls suggest attitude is changing in Northern Ireland. We want to lend our voice to the campaign for marriage equality in Northern Ireland. We want to keep the pressure on."

The move comes in the wake of a massive vote in favour of same-sex marriage in the Republic. In Northern Ireland, the Assembly has already seen four votes to for gay marriage fail to get legislation passed.

England, Scotland and Wales had their first same-sex weddings in 2014 after changes in the law there.

poll loading

Would you like to see a referendum on gay marriage in Northern Ireland?